Genome-Wide Analysis Identified a Set of Conserved lncRNAs Associated with Domestication-Related Traits in Rice

Crop domestication, which gives rise to a number of desirable agronomic traits, represents a typical model system of plant evolution. Numerous genomic evidence has proven that noncoding RNAs such as microRNAs and phasiRNAs, as well as protein-coding genes, are selected during crop domestication. However, limited data shows plant long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are also involved in this biological process. In this study, we performed strand-specific RNA sequencing of cultivated rice Oryza sativa ssp. japonica and O. sativa ssp. indica, and their wild progenitor O. rufipogon. We identified a total of 8528 lncRNAs, including 4072 lncRNAs in O. rufipogon, 2091 lncRNAs in japonica rice, and 2365 lncRNAs in indica rice. The lncRNAs expressed in wild rice were revealed to be shorter in length and had fewer exon numbers when compared with lncRNAs from cultivated rice. We also identified a number of conserved lncRNAs in the wild and cultivated rice. The functional study demonstrated that several of these conserved lncRNAs are associated with domestication-related traits in rice. Our findings revealed the feature and conservation of lncRNAs during rice domestication and will further promote functional studies of lncRNAs in rice.     

A new application of Hydroxyapatite extracted from dromedary bone: Adsorptive removal of Congo red from aqueous solution

The aim of this paper is to evaluate the efficiency of the natural hydroxyapatite powder for anionic dye (Congo red) elimination from water and optimization of adsorption process parameters that are contact time (0-360 min), solution pH (4-9), initial dye concentration (400-2400 mg/l), and adsorbent dosage (0.4-20 g/l). Natural hydroxyapatite with high surface area was prepared from animal agriculture waste dromedary bone. X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, transform infrared spectroscopy, and elemental analysis characterizations of the powder prepared show a hexagonal structure, the irregular form of hydroxyapatite and presence of other elements as trace element. The results of adsorption tests demonstrated the high efficiency of natural hydroxyapatite for removal of Congo red from water solution whose maximum experimental capacity adsorption of Congo red by natural hydroxyapatite is 900 mg/g at pH 4.5, equilibrium time 240 min and adsorbent dosage 2 g/l. According to the correlation coefficient value, the pseudo-second order kinetic model identified the sorption mechanism of pollutant used on natural hydroxyapatite. The Freundlich isotherm is the best representative theoretical model of the dye molecules’ adsorption on the natural hydroxyapatite support.     

A replacement of traditional insulation refractory brick by a waste-derived lightweight refractory castable

Lightweight insulation refractories are essential for high-temperature performance to reduce energy consumption. This study investigates a new insulation material, that is, solid waste rice husk ash (RHA) derived lightweight refractory castable, replacing traditional insulation refractory brick. The RHA is generated after the burning of rice husk as biomass fuel. The RHA is used as an aggregate and alkali-extracted silica sol from RHA as a binder to fabricate the insulation castable. The nanosilica containing (~30 wt%) sol is employed to synthesize the refractory castable by varying the sol amount (2.5-12.5 wt% silica from sol). The castable specimens are cast by a vibro-caster and fired at 900-1200°C in a muffle furnace. The physic-mechanical and thermal conductivity (κ) of the castable is investigated. At 1100°C with 10 wt% dry sol retaining sample shows an excellent apparent porosity (~65%), low bulk density (~ 0.8 g/cm³), and κ (0.136 W/m k) with sustainable compressive strength (6 MPa). The acquired results are a good match with the literature (other wastes-derived insulation materials) and industrial (silica insulation brick) obtained data. These promising outcomes may inspire the refractory industries for using RHA as an aggregate and RHA extracted sol as a binder for making insulation castable.     

Crude Wax Extracted from Rice Bran Oil Improves Oleogel Properties and Oxidative Stability

Crude wax extracted from rice bran oil (RBO) is used to improve the oleogel properties and oxidative stability of RBO. The effect of crude rice bran wax (CrBW) on the formation characteristics and oxidative stability of oleogels is discussed. The results show that oleogels can be formed with 7.0 wt% CrBW at 20 °C. As the concentration of CrBW increases from 7.0 to 11.0 wt%, the hardness and solid fat content (SFC) of the oleogels increase significantly, and the oleogels are primarily β' crystals. Moreover, oleogel crystals formed with 5 and 7 wt% CrBW are flocculent; when the amount included is 9%, the oleogel crystals are transformed into long dendrites, and the density rises. After 90 days of storage at 20 °C, the peroxide value of oleogels formed with 9.0 wt% CrBW slowly rises from 3.21 to 6.52 mmol kg⁻¹. Practical Applications: Oleogels prepared here by CrBW and RBO are an innovative structural lipid without trans fats. Useful information on the rich fats and nutrients in CrBW is provided, which reduces the production cost and improves the industrial production capacity.     

固结赤泥碾压坝排灰渣的试验研究

本试验研究，通过来统试验，确定固结破碎碾压赤泥的各种物理力学指标。成功地运用了固结赤泥进行破碎碾压筑坝，解决了生产中的燃眉之急，为同类企业充分利用现有堆场及设施提供了经验。     

超临界技术处理铁泥制取铁红

铁泥是染料中间体生产中排出的废弃物,其主要物相为Fe3O4.本文以铁泥为原料,运用超临界水氧化法研究了制取氧化铁红的方法.研究表明,经超临界法处理铁泥,通过高温煅烧,可使Fe3O4转化为α-Fe2O3,处理过程中的压力对产品的品质基本没有影响,其品质远远好于铁泥直接煅烧.超临界法处理铁泥制取铁红是一种可行的非常有潜力的技术方法.     

Methane Transport Capacity of Rice Plants. II. Variations Among Different Rice Cultivars and Relationship with Morphological Characteristics

Of the total methane (CH4) emitted from a rice field during the growing season 60–90% is emitted through the rice plants. We determined the methane transport capacity (MTC) of rice plants at different physiological growth stages using an automatic measuring system under greenhouse conditions. A total of 12 cultivars (10 inbred varieties and 2 hybrids) were studied in sets of two experiments and was distinguished into three groups according to the patterns of MTC development. MTC is generally increasing from seedling stage to panicle initiation (PI), but differs in the development from PI to maturity. While the hybrid showed a gradual increase in MTC, the inbred cultivars showed either minor changes in MTC or a drastic decrease from flowering to maturity. Among tall cultivars, Dular showed the highest MTC, followed by B40; the lowest MTC was found in Intan. High-yielding dwarf cultivars showed MTC in the descending order of IR72 > IR52 > IR64 > PSBRc 20. New plant type cultivars showed very low MTC with IR65600 exhibiting the smallest MTC at PI, flowering, and maturity. Hybrids (Magat and APHR 2) showed the largest MTC that continued to increased with plant growth. The MTC patterns were attributed to growth parameters and the development of morphological characteristics of the aerenchyma. These results suggest that in tall, dwarf, and NPT cultivars, increase in root or aboveground biomass during initial growth determines a corresponding increase in MTC. Once aerenchyma has fully developed, further increase in plant biomass would not influence MTC. However, in the case of hybrids, a positive relationship of MTC with root + shoot biomass (r = 0.672, p 0.05) and a total plant biomass including grain (r = 0.849, p 0.01) indicate continuous development of aerenchyma with plant growth, resulting in enhanced MTC. In all cultivars, tiller number, but not height, was linearly related to MTC, indicating that the number of outlets/channels rather than plant size/biomass determines the transport of CH₄. These results clearly demonstrate that rice cultivars differ significantly in MTC. Therefore, the use of high-yielding cultivars with low MTC (for example, PSBRc 20, IR65598, and IR65600) could be an economically feasible, environmentally sound, and promising approach to mitigate CH₄ emissions from rice fields.     

Decolorization of reactive brilliant red X-3B by heterogeneous photo-Fenton reaction using an Fe–Ce bimetal catalyst

Decolorization of reactive brilliant red X-3B was studied by using an Fe–Ce oxide hydrate as the heterogeneous catalyst in the presence of H₂O₂ and UV. The decolorization rate was in the order of UV–Fe–Ce–H₂O₂ > UV–Fe³⁺–H₂O₂ > UV–H₂O₂ > UV–Fe–Ce ≥ Fe–Ce–H₂O₂ > Fe–Ce. Under the conditions of 34 mg l⁻¹ H₂O₂, 0.500 g l⁻¹ Fe–Ce, 36 W UV and pH 3.0, 100 mg l⁻¹ X-3B could be decolorized at efficiency of more than 99% within 30 min. The maximum dissolved Fe during the reaction was 1 mg l⁻¹. From the fact that the decolorization rate of the UV–Fe–Ce–H₂O₂ system was significantly higher than that of the UV–Fe³⁺–H₂O₂ system at Fe³⁺ = 1 mg l⁻¹, it is clear that the Fe–Ce functioned mainly as an efficient heterogeneous catalyst. UV–vis, its second derivative spectra, and ion chromatography (IC) were employed to investigate the degradation pathway. Fast degradation after adsorption of X-3B is the dominant mechanism in the heterogeneous catalytic oxidation system. The first degradation step is the breaking down of azo and CN bonds, resulting in the formation of the aniline- and phenol-like compounds. Then, the breaking down of the triazine structure occurred together with the transformation of naphthalene rings to multi-substituted benzene, and the cutting off of sulphonic groups from the naphthalene rings. The last step includes further decomposition of the aniline structure and partial mineralization of X-3B.     

稻草净防除稻田杂草试验

稻草净亩用５０￣１００克对稻田眼子菜、鸭舌草、甲叶薄等阔叶杂草有很好的防效，并用明显的增产作用。大田移载后１５天一次施药可以控制水稻田整个生育期的阔叶杂草。     

抛秧稻田杂草发生与化除技术研究初报

抛秧田杂草不但种类多，危害重，而且化除难度大，技术要求高，据１９９３－１９９５年的试验、示范结果证明，一般草害田，掌握在抛栽后１０－１５天，每公顷用５０％二氯喹啉酸３７５－４５０克加１０％苄嘧黄隆１５０－２２５克，采用喷雾或毒土法防治一次，对稗草和多种阔叶草的防效一般可稳定在９０－９３％左右，并且可使亩产增加２成左右，但多草田和漏水田，则应通过二次用药或提高药剂用量的方法加以解决。